Trailing Fumes
by iyoku-ishi
Summary: [ t r i b u t e ] His hands were numb. Only one thing registered in his mind. And that, was enough to freeze his body, sending him into oblivion. [ spoiler ]


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First, please note: **S P O I L E R**

for anyone who hasn't read up to chapter 328 of the manga.

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Ok. So this a tribute to Asuma's death in chapter 328 in the Naruto manga. I'm hoping that some people have paused to think about Asuma's death. This is just a little oneshot I worked on for today, and I hope that everyone finds it suitable.

Music: Something sad, like a song from Evanescence.

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**T r a i l i n g F u m e s**

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He was dead.

Tears spilled down Ino's face as she knelt there, still bent over her beloved sensei.

He was dead.

Chouji let his sobs run freely as his big body shook, his tears dripping down his chin.

He was dead.

Shikamaru was oddly silent. His head was bowed, and his form strangely still.

He was dead.

Asuma lay on the sodden ground, a peaceful expression on his face. His hand was curled up beside him, still in the position of holding something that he'd never hold again.

_He was dead._

Team ten knelt on the ground, next to the unmoving figure of their precious sensei, who had been with them for so long. Since they started out as genin. Three years.

He had helped them and progressed them onto being chuunin. He had worked their moves into their minds and bodies, aided them with establishing their goals, and encouraged them for many, various things. But…

He was dead.

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Shikamaru's teammates looked up as they saw him bend and pick up something from the ground. Rain was starting to fall around them, and onto Asuma's cold, lifeless body.

"Shikamaru…?" Chouji asked hesitantly. The Nara didn't reply. His hands picked up something else, and suddenly, a small flame appeared before him, seemingly lighting something before dying out. Smoke began to trail from an object held close to Shikamaru's mouth.

"Shikamaru…!" Ino said, looking shocked. "W-what are you…doing?"

There was no reply.

The fifteen year old boy began coughing. Tears came out of his previously dry eyes, running down his face and mixing with the rain. The sky pounded, dull and grey.

"…ugh."

There was silence, then more coughs.

"…I knew…I'd hate smoking…"

Ino tried to stifle the sobs that were coming out of her rapidly now.

Chouji held himself, crying.

"The damn smoke gets into my eyes…"

A single, slightly dirty cigarette was protruding from Shikamaru's mouth, held between clenched teeth as the boy, now progressed into a man, let his sorrows come undone.

The rain beat around the three huddles shapes, thumping relentlessly. The sky darkened, as though it knew of what had happened. The heavens rumbled ominously. It was as if it was shedding tears for the fallen shinobi.

There was another silence.

Chouji stood up.

"W-we should go…bring his body back…b-before _they_ come again…" he mumbled, trying to stifle his tears, his voice sounding gruff.

Ino was the next to rise, nodding her agreement with her teammate while wiping away tears, although the rain had washed them all away.

Shikamaru did not move.

"Shikamaru…p-please…" Ino started, her voice sounding small and sad.

"…" Shikamaru stirred slightly, but continued sitting there. His friends could only watch heartrendingly as smoke fumes drifted up into the air, only to be pounded down by the waters from the heavens.

Ino wondered how that small, dirty cigarette could stay lighted under such weather. She bent slightly and saw Shikamaru's hand protecting it.

The man was coughing, his body shaking as it attempted to hack the lung-damaging smoke out.

"Shikamaru…" Chouji watched cheerlessly as his best friend endeavored to force himself to accept the horrible vapors.

"Shikamaru…please stop," Ino begged, something she hadn't done in years. The blond-haired girl knelt down next to her distraught teammate. "Please…don't do this…"

Footsteps were heard behind them.

"…what would Asuma say if you died too?" Koestu murmured, looking down at the huddled form of the lazy, genius of a Nara. "And your friends?"

Silence.

"…we should go," Izumo said softly, also approaching the group.

Shikamaru finally stood up, slowly. The cigarette instantly died, soaked, as rain poured down, coming faster and harder than before.

The others watched as Shikamaru gradually removed the cigarette from his mouth, beginning to travel to his pocket.

"Shikamaru…just throw that away," Ino cried, her heart breaking at the limp way Shikamaru moved.

"…I can…smoke it…later…" Shikamaru said quietly.

Ino's eyes filled with more tears. But not for Asuma, this time.

Chouji looked devastated. But not because of Asuma, this time.

It was because of their friend.

Ino's eyes darkened. She reached forward and grabbed Shikamaru's hand.

It was ice-cold and numb.

Shikamaru looked up slowly, his eyes empty, as he gazed at her in some unseen confusion.

Ino didn't say a word. She simply pried the cigarette from Shikamaru's fingers.

"…" He was silent.

"Don't smoke," Ino said silently, her eyes boring into his, trying to communicate her message.

Shikamaru merely looked away, picked Asuma's body up gently, and began taking gradual, trudging steps as he walked.

Chouji closed his eyes briefly, and started after his best friend.

Kotetsu and Izumo were already in the distance.

Ino looked back at the faint outline of a body in the mud as it was being quickly washed away by the rain. She turned her back to the rapidly smoothing ground, her heart pounding.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Silence.

A rhythm beat around the departing figures, in never ending, hypnotizing calm.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The cigarette fell, laying abandoned on the ground, in the ceaselessly pounding rain.

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The end. Hopefully, it was sad and gave off emotions of sorrow. This is not a InoxShikamaru oneshot. Please review. I'd like to read comments from you guys out there reading this.


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